Translation © by Mark DeGarmeaux

O, lad ei svinde
Language: Danish (Dansk) 
Available translation(s): ENG
O, lad ei svinde
Timen unyttet bort!
Nornerne spinde,
Tvundet af Rødt og Sort,
Livstraaden alt for kort, -
Lad den ei svinde!
 
Elskede, Kjære!
Kom til mit stille Bryst;
Jeg vil jo bære
Dig og din Sorg og Lyst,
Hviil i min Arm saa tyst, -
Elskede, Kjære!
 
Smykker den blanke,
Levende Ædelsteen,
Taaren, min ranke,
Duftende Rosengreen?
Ak, hver din Taare reen
Blier mig en Tanke.
 
Yndigste Lilie!
Fyldig og blid og øm!
Er det din Villie,
Seile vi Livets Strøm,
Drømme den samme Drøm,
Yndigste Lilie!
 
Lad da ei svinde
Timen [uændset]1 bort;
Nornerne spinde,
Tvundet af Rødt og Sort,
Livstraaden alt for kort, -
O, min Veninde!

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Cormontan: "unyttet"

Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • ENG English (Mark DeGarmeaux) , "O let it not fade away", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Michael Jorgensen

This text was added to the website: 2013-09-06
Line count: 30
Word count: 111

O let it not fade away
Language: English  after the Danish (Dansk) 
O let it not fade away, 
That hour unused! 
The Fates spin, 
Twisted from red and black, 
The thread of life all too short, -- 
Let it not fade away! 

Beloved, dear one!
Come to my quiet breast;
I will surely carry 
You and your sorrow and joy, 
Rest in my arm so quiet, -- 
Beloved, dear one!

Does that shiny, 
Living gemstone,
The tear, adorn my straight, 
Fragrant rose-stem? 
Ah, each pure tear of yours 
Becomes for me a thought. 

Loveliest lily! 
Full and gentle and tender!
If it is your will,
Let us sail life's stream, 
Dream the same dream,
Loveliest lily!

Then let it not fade away, 
That unused hour;
The Fates spin,
Twisted from red and black,
The thread of life all too short, -- 
O, my beloved!

Authorship:

  • Translation from Danish (Dansk) to English copyright © 2013 by Mark DeGarmeaux, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:

 

This text was added to the website: 2013-09-06
Line count: 30
Word count: 129